Watch case



1968 P. CAPRARA 3,395,531

WATCH CASE Filed July 7, 1966 i\ .1 I W/l 1/ United States Patent O 3,395,531 WATCH CASE Pierre Caprara, 28 Rue des Alpes, Granges, Switzerland Filed July 7, 1966, Ser. No. 563,439 Claims priority, application Switzerland, July 9, 1965, 9,645/ 65 6 Claims. (Cl. 5890) The present invention relates to a watch case comprising a middle-bezel provided with horns and a back fixed to the middle-bezel.

It is already known to fix the back of a middle-bezel by using on one side a rib or a catch cooperating with a corresponding slot or groove, and on the other side a locking device, permitting a water resistant or not easily dismantleable case to be made. Nevertheless, the locking devices proposed, whether they be an elastic blade situated at the interior of the movement, and carrying at its end -a pin engaging in the middle, or a catch deforming elastically the middle to be introduced in a corresponding housing, are either difficult to realise or require the use of an elastically deformable middle.

The present invention has for its object a watch case comprising a middle bezel provided with horns and a back fixed to its middle bezel by simple and easily accessible means. It is characterised by the fact that the back is fixed on one side to the middle bezel by some projections rigidwith the back and engaging in some grooves provided in the corresponding horns and on the other side by a locking device cooperating with each of the corresponding horns.

The annexed drawing represents, by way of example, one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURES 1 and 2 show respectively in plan and in elevation a square water resistant watch case.

This watch case comprises a middle bezel 1 provided with four horns 2, 3, 4 and 5 for securing the strap, a back 6 and a glass 7. The back 6 is provided on the one hand with two catches 8 and 9 which engage during the securing of the back, slightly obliquely in two corresponding housings 8 and 9 formed in the horns 2 and 3 respectively. From the side opposite to these catches, the back has two ears 11 and 12 made in one piece with the back, and which, during the securing of the back, engage in recesses 13 and 14 respectively, formed in the horns, in such a way that these ears are hidden, when the watch is worn. The ears :are then fixed to each of the horns by means of a pin passing through the holes 15 and 16 formed respectively in each of the ears and each of the horns. The water resistance of the case is assured by a packing ring of water resistance 17 disposed between the heel 18 of the glass 7 and the back 6. Instead of using a pin to connect the ears and the horns, one can also connect them by means of a screw. It is also possible to replace the ears 11 and 12 by two screws having half moon heads cooperating each with a groove formed in each of 3,395,531 Patented Aug. 6, 1968 See the horns and having a slightly inclined plane, so that when these screws are unscrewed, their heads engage in the grooves and press the back against the middle.

The cars can also be replaced by circular hollows formed, at the level of the horns, partially on the back and in which engages a part of the head of a screw, screwed in the middle and which applies the back against the middle.

These hollows, can, finally, be replaced by brackets, made in one piece with the back, and which applies the back against the middle under the action of screws screwed into the middle. On the other hand, the projections 8 and 9 can be constituted by pins driven into holes formed in the back.

This construction can be applied to a round watch as well as to a shaped one, either water resistant or not.

What is claimed is:

1. Watch case comprising a middle bezel provided with two first horns on one side and two second horns on the other side, and a back fixed to the middle bezel, characterized by the fact that the back is fixed on the one side to the middle bezel by projections rigid with the back and engaging in grooves formed in the corresponding first horns, and on the other side by -a locking device cooperating with each of the corresponding second horns.

2. Watch case according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said locking device comprised of two ears made in one piece with the back and fixed respectively to each of the second horns.

3. Watch case according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the said ears engage respectively in a recess in each of the second horns and that they are connected to these horns by a pin.

4. Watch case according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said locking device is constituted by two screws provided with half moon heads cooperating each with a groove formed in the middle bezel, the back being pressed against the middle bezel by an unscrewing move ment of these screws.

5. Watch case according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said projections are made in one piece with the back.

6. Watch case according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said projections are constituted by pins driven into the back.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,936,573 5/1960 Monnier et al. 5890 FOREIGN PATENTS 216,876 9/ 1941 Switzerland. 230,526 4/ 1944 Switzerland.

RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE H. MILLER IR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. WATCH CASE COMPRISING A MIDDLE BEZEL PROVIDED WITH TWO FIRST HORNS ON ONE SIDE AND TWO SECOND HORNS ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND A BACK FIXED TO THE MIDDLE BEZEL, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT THE BACK IS FIXED ON THE ONE SIDE TO THE MIDDLE BEZEL BY PROJECTIONS RIGID WITH THE BACK AND ENGAGING IN GROOVES FORMED IN THE CORRESPONDING FIRST HORNS, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE BY A LOCKING DEVICE COOPERATING WITH EACH OF THE CORRESPONDING SECOND HORNS. 